


Mind Me

by MonroseMeadows



Category: None - Fandom
Genre: AU, F/M, Freeform, Gen, Multi, Original Content - Freeform, Sweet, cute stuff, normal girl meets famous guy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-15 18:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17533994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonroseMeadows/pseuds/MonroseMeadows
Summary: Leo Winters is a normal girl that lives a pretty standard life. But all of that is sure to change when none other than Eli Rosenthal decides to cross roads with her.Unbeknownst to Leo, Eli carries a secret with him at all times, that only proves to be harder and harder to hide as time goes on.Will Leo adapt to Eli's world, or will their paths separate in the end?Mind me or set me free.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I am European, so spelling errors might occur.  
> Sentence structure can be off here and there, I'll try to keep an eye on it.
> 
> Inspired by: No idea really.. Inspired by every woman's fantasies as a teenager to fall in love with your idol, pretty much.  
> Guy in mind: Bryan Dechart. - Why - because he seems to be a down to earth guy.

> My name is Leo Winters. I’m 23 years old, and born and raised in Ashworth, Colorado. The reason as to why I decided on writing down my experiences is … well, mainly because I got talked into it by my friend and colleague, Rachel Harlow. You see, I’m not a … particularly outgoing person, and I can confidently agree to keep my thoughts and feelings mostly to myself. Rachel is the complete opposite. She’s very charismatic, likable and overall a social butterfly. And it has been her love for sappy, romantic forms of media, that have led her to the idea of keeping a journal. At first, she suggested keeping a dream journal, an idea I quickly shot down the moment it was brought up. I rarely remember my dreams, and the short snippets I do manage to remember after waking, tend to be too nonsensical to keep track of. Not that I saw any point to it regardless, since I already knew the basic science behind dreams. Yet here I am, being talked into keeping a journal – a diary if you will. And I must admit feeling somewhat nostalgic. It must have been years since I attempted keeping a diary, perhaps at the age of 12 to 14 years old. Though I gave that up shortly after, finding that my life wasn’t filled with much excitement worth jotting down, nor remembering.
> 
> I currently work as a saleswoman in a small shop located in the Ashworth mall, and have been stuck at this place for almost 2 years now. I wouldn’t classify it as my dream occupation, but the bills have to be paid somehow. It was tolerable, and if it hadn’t been for this particular job, I might have never met Rachel. The shop is owned by Serena Starke, a woman that I would describe as… artificial. She just doesn’t look real… I doubt that makes much sense, but it does to me, and that’s what matters most. Her personality lacks charisma, compassion, or any other known human trait that can be experienced as _pleasant._ But despite the added… challenges of having to work for and with Serena, I can say that she is a hard worker. She is the first to arrive in the mornings and the last to leave in the evenings and is obsessed with keeping things tidy and clean. I must admit, when I first applied for the job and saw Serena’s cold eyes dance all over me, I had very little hope on being hired. But… The universe proved me otherwise, and here I am. Kept under Serena Starke’s broad wings for almost 2 whole years. God, I am so glad to have met Rachel…. She’s a small dot of light in that darkness.
> 
> And before you ask, don’t get me started on relationships. I am far too shy to simply walk up to a guy and start a conversation. I’d even be able to fuck up the simple concept of small talk. And the few relationships I found myself in were short-lived. And by short-lived, I mean that they don’t even survive the test of time. Cough, only a few months tops, cough. I live in a small apartment downtown, not in the immediate center of Ashworth, but close enough to have necessities within walking distance. Ashworth is a small town, that is largely covered in agriculture land. It’s not as bad as it sounds and can be quite soothing when you talk a walk through it. It can serve as a needed break from the hustle and bustle from the city itself. Though, I am not a nature-lover myself, at least not to the point that I’d go for a relaxing hike through the woods or set up camp in a forest nearby. But nothing beats the sounds of birds and cows, right? I suppose I should spill the beans on my preferences in guys? If you’d want to get to know me… that should make sense. Hmm, when it comes to men… I seem to have a thing for the dark hair and eyes combo. Preferably tall, but considering how short I am, most of the people I meet, effortlessly meet that standard. And generally, a nice and heartfelt personality. A sincere heart, no added glimmer and glamour. Down to earth, the image of _the guy next door_. An everyday person you could run into in the grocery store, as you’re both standing in line, and you send him occasional apologetic looks as the line doesn’t seem to be moving anytime soon. A guy you meet while enjoying a cup of coffee on your work-break or make accidental eye-contact with as you lick the foam of the back end of the spoon. _It doesn’t hurt to dream a little, does it?_

Leo flashed a weak smile at the waitress that brought her order and placed it on the small table she was seated at. She watched the woman disappear to the back of Delicia Elaborada, which was a moderately sized café not too far from Serena Starke’s store, and had become Leo’s place of choice to spend her breaks. And despite being a regular, Leo had yet to figure out the name of the owner, or any of the employees. Leo liked to keep to herself, and sift through her social media feed, whilst enjoying a caramel or vanilla latte. The café wasn’t too crowded at this time of the day, the crowds were expected for later in the afternoon. Usually 2PM was the magic hour for residents to feel the need to wander the long hallways in the Ashworth mall. As she took a sip and savored the sweet remnants of vanilla on her tongue, she found her eyes scanning the few costumers present. Some were caught up in conversation, while others were preoccupied with their phones. She looked past and over a handful of faces, until her eyes halted at a darker pair. For a split second she had locked eyes with a stranger, only to quickly avert her gaze and reposition herself in her seat. Surely that person hadn’t purposely made eye-contact, or at the very least, that’s what Leo tried to tell herself. She breathed out a sigh and closed the cover of her phone, eyes fixed on the glass mug that stood in front of her.

_Had he purposely tried to make eye-contact? Surely not… Why would anyone want to look me in the eye?_

She tilted her head a little, only to regret it the moment she caught those same eyes for a second time. And this time, her gaze lingered long enough to catch the pearly white teeth that accompanied a smile. Leo froze in place, her brain unable to fire the right signals to her fingers, and she cursed under her breath when the spoon tumbled down to the floor. _Good job, Winters. You always manage to wow the world with just how much of a clumsy fool you are._ A few heads turned to look as Leo bent sideways to pick up the spoon, but lost interest soon after. Leo mentally cursed herself and her clumsy ways when she dried the utensil with a tissue. _Please, don’t let him be staring at me. Please, make it so that it was just a coincidence… that occurred twice in a row. That sounds ridiculous, Leo, and you know it._

“Miss?

A gentle voice released Leo from her train of thoughts, and she instinctively smiled. Nervously, yet the waitress seemed to buy her make-belief state of _I’m okay. Really, I am._ And it was when the red-haired waitress smiled her way, that she mentally thanked her for derailing that train of thoughts she had been riding mere seconds ago. It was no good to be stuck on it, it only sped around in circles… Pointless.

“Would you like to order something else? Requested by the man over at that table.”

Leo hardly dared to break eye-contact with the waitress. She drew a deep breath, closed her eyes and eventually turned her head in the direction the stranger had been seated before. This time around however, she felt the sting of relief to have found him in a moment of mental absence. His gaze fixed on his phone, brows slightly furrowed. He looked upset. Frustrated, maybe? She instantly shook her head upon the realization that she had most likely been staring for a second too long and turned back to face the waitress.

“Treat me?”  

She only received a small smile and a nod of the head in response.

“What’s the cheapest thing on the menu?”

Leo buried her face in her hands the moment the words had left her mouth. Not only did it sound especially amateurish for a woman her age, but it might have painted her as a cheapskate. It wouldn’t hit that far from home though, Leo considered herself to be a proud cheapskate, but that was besides the point. The longer the conversation would last, the deeper the hole she would surely dig for herself. By now, as a fellow woman, the waitress must have caught wind of her inability to pick up on romantic advances, and ignorance of being in the position of receiving end of said romantic advances. The redhead bit back a chuckle and pushed back a strand of her red hair. “He did not specify the price. I think you’re in the clear.”

  * > You don’t understand how embarrassed I felt, journal. Not only did I make an absolute fool of myself in front of an attractive stranger, but that waitress must’ve thought I was socially backwards. I don’t often get treated to a drink when I decide to go out, and that’s mainly because…. I rarely go out. I’d much rather prefer to stay at home, kept warm under a comfy blanket with my hair in a topknot, and a good book in my hands. No wonder I am a social disaster… I had no idea how to react, or even what to make of it. When someone buys you a drink, that usually means that they are interested in getting to know you, doesn’t it? I mean, don’t get me wrong, he had kind eyes that were pleasant to look at. And his smile seemed to be … genuine. But it might just be an act. It could have been just an act, with the intention to get laid. I … I honestly didn’t know what to think or if my panic was justified. You know how these things turn out, journal. Attractive people have the gift of seduction, and they have mastered the act of flaunting their attributes. They are well aware of how easily they could wrap someone around their finger… I don’t want to end up as nothing more than a prey. A number to be added to the collection of victories. But perhaps, there is a small chance that his actions were in fact genuine and I’m just too much of a cynical pessimist. Am I? _I hope I am._




Leo took in the presentation of the freshly made latte that stood before her. It was paid for, with compliments of the handsome stranger. She still found herself unable to believe this had actually happened. She slightly furrowed her brow, almost afraid to touch the beverage at all.

“Would it be okay if I took a seat?”


	2. Chapter 2

Leo silently shook her head, her hands already moving to clear the opposite end of the table. The stranger carefully lowered himself on the chair, and placed his cup on the, now, free table leaf. The background was filled with conversations, yet the voices were so plentiful, it was hard to make out any topic being discussed. To the left, a coffee maker sprung to life with a growl, to the right metal hit porcelain as hot beverages were stirred, and eating utensils emptied plates. Leo kept her eyes fixed on her latte, a growing sting of nervousness and panic settling in her abdomen. Her limbs felt shaky, and her mind slowly filled with the most nonsensical thoughts imaginable. Seated opposite from her, the handsome stranger placed his lower arms on the table, his chin resting in the palm of his hand as his dark eyes scanned their surroundings. His aura felt pleasant, serene … soothing almost – as if he were in his element and the noise failed to bother him. The silence continued, and as it increased in severity, so did the feeling of ever-present uneasiness. And as if her mind was open and accessible, a warm voice rose up and pierced it effortlessly.

“I was hoping to make you feel at ease by ordering a drink. But it looks like it had the opposite effect entirely.”

Leo swallowed, the corners of her lips twitching ever so faintly. She eventually looked up and met pair of brown eyes looking back at her. He was handsome. Handsome was an understatement. Handsome, yet … approachable. A carefree aura surrounded him, and a faint smile present on his perfectly sculpted lips. His face looked like it belonged on a magazine cover, rather than to be hidden among many others in a café. Leo’s eyes wandered back to the table leaf, where they landed on his hands. He had large hands, and immature jokes aside, it made Leo aware of his overall size. He must have been at least 6’9, which could be considered monstrous compared to Leo’s modest 5’4 stature. But she liked tall men, in a way, they made her feel safe and secure. Protected.

_His eyes. They look right through me… There’s something about his eyes that I can’t put into words._

“I didn’t mean to make you feel uneasy.”

The stranger combed a set of fingers through his curly fringe, the brown locks falling into place perfectly. A smile followed suit. “I guess approaching you didn’t exactly help, huh?” He voiced a soft laugh and repositioned his torso. “Maybe you’d feel better if I introduced myself. I’m Eli.” He turned back to his coffee, stirring the spoon through the dark liquid as he awaited Leo’s answer.

_He seems patient. He never once pressured me into saying anything. That’s a first._

Leo breathed through her nose. “I’m Leo.” It elicited another faint smile from Eli, and he looked up for a short moment before taking a sip. Leo didn’t know what to make of it. He had given her a positive first impression, and he liked coffee. That was… something. “I’m sorry… I’m not good with words.” Leo added shortly after, bringing her hands up to her latte. Anything to keep her hands from visibly trembling, if only she could figure out a way to keep her legs from performing a horrible River-dance imitation under the table. Eli gave a short nod of the head when he placed the tiny spoon back on the tray. “I hope I don’t scare you.” Leo detected every minor movement and picked up on the tiniest of facial twitches. There were none, Eli had maintained a serene attitude, and seemed pretty damn confident. Though he lacked the expected cockiness. He looked confident, yet not snobbish. Did that make sense?

“I saw you sitting all by yourself and debated on whether you’d like some company.” He looked up, brown eyes piercing a significantly lighter pair. “I know it sounds incredibly cliché, but you looked lonely. And it made me fee something… I can’t describe.” Chuckling, Leo leaned back, head shaking as her spine hit the back rest of the chair. Eli’s eyes followed her every move, much like Leo had done not too long ago. He might have looked like a movie star, but even perfection tends to run out of smooth lines. She brought up a small hand to her mouth, in an attempt to smother another incoming chuckle. The handsome stranger just watched, a mutual smile present on his lips, yet so faint it was barely visible. His expression almost… cheeky. He must have been self-aware.

“I’m sorry.” Leo spat, fingers pressed against her lips. “I don’t mean to laugh at you.” Yet another muffled chuckle vibrated against her fingertips. Yet unlike Leo’s feared reaction, Eli just smiled as he shook his head. He _was_ self-aware. “Don’t apologize. You have every right to. That did sound… sappy.” He casually licked his lips as he averted his eyes for a moment, only to turn back to face Leo. “Hey, at least you’re laughing. So, I’m doing something right.” As her chuckles died down, Leo scraped her throat and sipped the sweet taste of vanilla latte. _There was little vanilla latte couldn’t fix… Don’t quote me on that._ Eli was charismatic, and being familiar with social butterflies, he showed every symptom of being one as well. Leo only hoped her mouth wouldn’t betray her anytime soon. It was only a matter of time before she’d spit out nonsense that was sure to scare Eli away. Heck, any stranger for that matter. She put the glass back down, a playful smirk lingering on her lips. “Yeah, I suppose so.”

“So, Leo. Were you on a shopping spree or just… trying to kill some time?”

Leo casually held up her hand and swallowed what remained of the latte. “No. No, I work here. Well, not _here_ , but at one of the stores in the mall itself.” She saw Eli nod, and him keeping his eyes fixed on her. It made her feel uneasy to some extent. Was he checking for imperfections? Had her make-up been smudged? Perhaps her hair looked messy… There were so many reasons as to why he might had been staring at here so attentively. Regardless of which one it might be, she felt _watched._ “I work in sales. Clothing, not too far from here.”

“But you’d rather waste your time elsewhere.”

Leo eyes widened, but she eased into a more relaxed state of mind. A faint, affirmative nod followed.  
“Yeah… I hope I'm not stuck in sales for the remainder of my life. It’s not really my thing. How...?”

Eli smiled. “I’m good at reading people, I think. But I get it. I worked jobs here and there just so I’d be able to survive, you know? No heart for it.”

“Yeah, exactly. Make ends meet.”


End file.
